Like I promised in my last post, I tried to wake up early and be creative.

But at 6:30 AM, the idea of sitting and drawing (or writing, or playing guitar) seemed just plain wrong. I didn’t want to be awake, let alone force creativity. My body pretty much told me: If I have to be up this early – I want to get moving. So I went outside for a walk.

I grabbed coffee at 7-Eleven around the corner, and then drank it on a 20-30 minute stroll around the neighborhood. I said good morning to strangers and puppies, and held the door for people which made me cheerful. My strolls felt so luxurious! Sometimes I listened to music. I daydreamed. I watched all the people rushing, and noticed how I wasn’t rushing at all.

And when I came back inside, I felt different than I usually do when I start work. Full of gratitude.

Usually I start work a little bit grumpy, lacking energy, or just meh. I love my job, but that doesn’t usually kick-in until around 11 AM.

Guess what else? Most days, I wrote and worked with boosted energy. I had lots to say. My fingers weren’t labored on the keys. My motivation was majorly increased.

And there’s more … Later in the day, instead of feeling like a nap, I felt like creating. After my normal afternoon walk/errand-running, I cooked, doodled and wrote creatively. It didn’t feel painful like the idea had at 6:30 AM. I genuinely wanted to do these things.

This is why it’s good to experiment. I started with one intention, but by listening to what my body craved, I developed a different, but still better-than-before result.

I’m still not sure if you can grow creativity like a plant. But I know you can adjust your day, activities, and lifestyle to achieve the right atmosphere where it can most colorfully flourish.

When I asked Ilise if she does creative things in the morning, she told me:“I think early mornings should be used doing something you wouldn’t otherwise do. Something that’s a luxury. It can be different for everyone. I read.”

What’s luxurious to you? Try to get up early and experiment with doing that thing. Or just get up early and see what your body wants to do. (If it says, “Go back to sleep,” ask it for another option!)